Page 10 - AHATA

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local Tuesday 25 March 2025
Ayo & Casibari: Aruba’s famous rock formations

(Oranjestad)—The Ayo and can see the majority of the
Casibari Rock Formations are island and the ocean in the
known locally as one of the south. Right in front of the
crucial sites to have in your entrance, there is the Casi-
“off-road” trip itinerary. These bari Café and Grill, a great
naturally formed rock forma- place to get refreshments
tions as just one of the few and snack before continu-
places on the island that hold ing your off-road adventure!
a rich history of our culture
and of our ancestors. Both sites are open free to
the public, 24 hours a day.
Ayo However, unless you are
The Ayo Rock Formation taking a trip with a profes-
is located in the northern sional tour guide, there are
part of the island, right on no guides at the sites to help
the road that leads you to is also one of the few sites parts of the island. However, and more accessible—to you climb the rock. So, do be
the Black Stone Beach, and to contain prehistoric mark- this is just another charm of the general public. Just like careful when trudging on the
close to the Natural Bridge. ings of our indigenous an- the site: the quiet area and Ayo, Casibari is a fenced boulders, and make sure to
The Ayo is a fenced terrain cestors. The Ayo Rock for- the refreshing breeze offer a area containing several befriend any roaming goats
that consists of several giant mation contains stairs that sense of comfort and peace. boulders that lay on top or you see along the way!
boulders, resting neatly on lead you to the top of the lean on each other. The best
top of or side by side each highest boulder, offering a Casibari aspect of the Casibari Rock *Mondi: what we call our
other, adding gorgeous breath-taking view of the Probably the busier rock Formation is the accompa- Aruban wilderness. We don’t
natural architecture to the Aruban backyard. The Ayo formation site, the Casibari nying view when you climb have forests, or deserts, but
surrounding “mondi”*. This is usually quiet, as it is situated is situated more in the center up the top of the round, flat we do have mondi!q
farther away from the busier of the island, much closer— bolder. For this position, you

Ever heard of the cah’i orgel?

A key instrument in Aruban folklore music

(Oranjestad)—The cah’i orgel music box is an his uncle’s cah’i orgel, and he over the years
important and unique instrument that is used on he learned to build and repair the instrument.
the ABC islands in the Dutch Caribbean. This in- In fact, he was incredibly skilled in this, and he
strument is a staple in our folklore music, and its was one of the few to have recognized from
significance in the traditions of Aruba has and the start that the cah’i orgel is an instrument
continues to bring together the old and young. that needs preserving.
As mentioned, the cah’i orgel is a music box.
The origin of the cah’i orgel is said to have made from mahogany wood, it contains a cyl-
come from Europe around 150 years ago. A inder with a maximum of eight music pieces. By
cross breed between the barrel piano and rotating the lever on the front side of the box,
the organ, the most popular stories said that the cah’i orgel produces music similar to that of
the instrument came from either England or a piano, and is accompanied often by some-
Germany, but made its way to Italy down to one else playing the “wiri”, a percussion instru-
Venezuela, where in 1881, Mr. Horatio Sprock ment made out of steel and reminiscent to the
(1866-1949) from Curacao was first introduced Spanish guiro. Back then, you would often also
to it. After that, Sprock made his own cah’i or- find someone playing the triangle alongside
gel “Josefina”, and successfully debuted it on the cah’i orgel and wiri. In Aruba, the cah’i or-
the streets of Barquisimeto. Back in Curacao, he gel and wiri is used for traditional music genres,
started his own cah’i orgel business along with such as the Aruban waltz, tumba, mazurka and
his brother Luis. In Aruba, it is said that the cah’i more.
orgel was introduced by Rufo Wever, who later Fun fact: another name for the cah’i orgel is the
in his career became one of the composers for “tingilingi box.”q
the Aruban national anthem.
Rufo Wever was a young musician in 1937 when Source: “E Cilinder Magico entre Aruba y Curaçao”
he established his own cah’i orgel business on by Marilyn Alcalá-Wallé, Herta Parabirsing-Balentina
the island. Before that he experimented with and Nidia Rosaria-Wallé.